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On Dec. 22, 2008, Gov. Jon S. Corzine signed Bill S-2240/A-3162, which turned the New Jersey Israel Commission into a permanent commission within the State Department. The bill is intended to strengthen the bilateral ties between New Jersey and Israel.

According to Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande (R-12), the commission began in 1988, when New Jersey entered a sister-state agreement with Israel under the guidance of former Gov. Tom Kean as a symbol of cooperation between the two states. The commission calls for the development of cultural and educational exchanges, trade, and encouragement to develop capital investments and joint business ventures between New Jersey and Israel. Corzine extended its status until 2012, when it will become a permanent commission.

The committee is currently made up of 15 to 100 individuals, all of whom are appointed by the governor. Eight of the committee members are legislators. When the coalition becomes permanent, the commission will become an 85-member body made up of eight legislators and 77 public members appointed by the governor. These commission members will serve three year staggered terms. Of the 77 initially appointed, 25 will serve a two-year term, 25 will serve a three-year term, and 27 will serve a four-year term. As the committee members are re-appointed, all terms will be three years long.

"It has been a real positive thing for New Jersey citizens," Casagrande said. "I was happy to sponsor any legislation that would make the commission a permanent branch of New Jersey government."

Senator Bob Gordon (D-38) said that the New Jersey Israel Commission is crucial to developing new industries in New Jersey.

"We have a strategy for economic development in the state that calls for the development of new industries," Gordon said. "Many of them can benefit from the relationship between New Jersey and Israel."

The areas of concentration that Gordon specified were in the research and development of renewable energy, biotechnology, health, science, and nanotechnology.

"We're not promoting basic manufacturing in New Jersey anymore," Gordon said. "We don't see that as key to our future. Research and development in those areas [of science] is occurring in Israel and we ought to take advantage of that."

So far, the New Jersey Israel Commission has been instrumental in developing new business ventures and creating new ways to strengthen the New Jersey-Israel bond. Some recent examples Casagrande offered were the commission's appointment to official representative for the U.S.-Israel Bi-national Industrial Research and Development foundation in 2004. This endeavor brings together American and Israeli companies in various research and development sectors. She also highlighted the commission's assistance in encouraging four Israeli companies to open operations in New Jersey, adding to more than 40 Israeli companies that have facilities in the state.

Gordon hopes that making the New Jersey-Israel Commission permanent will further advance endeavors like the ones Casagrande emphasized.

"My view is that Israel is critically important to New Jersey's economic future," Gordon said. "If China is the place where much of the manufacturing occurs in the world, Israel is the place where the research and development occurs... Much of what we're trying to do in New Jersey is encourage new industries like green energy. Our success will depend on being able to work with companies in Israel."

Larry Mandel, a member of the New Jersey-Israel Commission, wants to bring Israeli interests to his native Ocean County.

"The people on the commission basically try to go back to their home constituencies or deal with contacts that they know to further the goals of the New Jersey-Israel Commission," Mandel said.

Mandel, chair of Ocean County's Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), was responsible for finding a location for an Israeli company in Ocean County, and plans to search for businesses that can benefit from opening branches in New Jersey.

"If there's an Israeli company that's looking to locate [in New Jersey], committee members help with that," Mandel said. "The job of the members is to do what they can to further those initiatives."

In order to bring cultural events to Ocean County, Mandel is interested in bringing Israeli performers to the Strand Theater, Lakewood.

"We could bring some Israeli performers into the Strand as part of a cultural exchange," Mandel said. "The Commission helps the overall goal of promoting the friendship between New Jersey as a community and the people of Israel."